- 2 days ago
ITL looks beyond the Texans’ offensive talent and debates whether this group has the leadership, chemistry, toughness, and other intangibles necessary to become a great offense.
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00:00I mean, the offense itself is something that we're looking at a lot
00:03because we need to figure out if they can hold up to the standard
00:05that has clearly been established by the defense.
00:08And in doing that, you kind of have to have some intangibles.
00:10So, J-Lo, you asked the question, does the Texans' offense have intangibles?
00:14Let me ask you that because you listen to pretty much anyone on this defense,
00:20and they all came through when we were out there at training camp.
00:24If you listen to Will Anderson, Aziz Alshair, Reed Blankenship,
00:30Kamari Lasseter, it's like you're almost in some ways
00:33talking to the same person every time.
00:36You know, like you talk to Aziz Alshair, you're hearing a lot of the same things
00:39you hear from Will Anderson, Kamari Lasseter, Reed Blankenship, go down the list.
00:43You know, so many players that, you know, Sheldon Rankins,
00:47like the intangibles on this defense.
00:49And I know, you know, we all talk about numbers, you know,
00:52no one more than you and speed.
00:55There's some people more than me.
00:56Don't do that.
00:57You heard that? He just slid that in there.
01:00Just kind of slid it in.
01:00Almost missed.
01:01And playmaking ability and all this other stuff, experience.
01:05Intangibles matter.
01:06You know, as a group, as a collective, intangibles matter.
01:11And I started looking at this offense after yesterday's performance,
01:14which I feel was, and I'm not alone, and a lot of people talk about this,
01:17was their best effort overall to this point in camp.
01:21But do they have that?
01:22Do they have those guys that across the board,
01:26it's like you're talking to the same person?
01:28You know, the swarm mentality or the culture or the intangibles
01:31or whatever you want to call it.
01:32Does this offense have that?
01:34Well, I'd like to stop and kind of look at what we're talking about here
01:38because are we setting an unreal standard here?
01:41It's the same team.
01:42It is the same team.
01:43But also, it feels like this defense is the cream of the crop
01:46when it comes to the NFL in that regard.
01:49And so, it seems like you're speaking specifically to culture
01:51because intangibles can be a lot of things, right?
01:53When we're talking about in draft circumstances,
01:55oh, man, look at this quarterback.
01:56He's got all the intangibles.
01:58We're not just talking about the culture
01:59and the way that he delivers kind of leadership
02:02and those types of things.
02:03So, it feels like that's specifically what you're talking about.
02:05And even that is something that this defense has
02:08in a way that is notable.
02:08It is exceptional for around the league.
02:12So, I don't know if it would be fair to use that
02:14specifically with this offense.
02:15But I do think they're starting to demonstrate more of that
02:19this year than any other year.
02:20The offense?
02:21Yes.
02:21The offense is starting to demonstrate more.
02:23I kind of went through the roster, the starting lineup,
02:27at least what we think might be the starting lineup.
02:29And you know what was at once encouraging and discouraging?
02:34I think the one guy that if he played defense
02:36would fit right in with this team is Keelan Rutledge.
02:39I think there's two more.
02:40Like, Keelan Rutledge, to me, is a guy that if he played defense,
02:43he'd be like, oh, yeah, he plays for the Texans.
02:44Yeah.
02:45You know?
02:45I don't...
02:46Who else?
02:47I think there's two more.
02:48Who else?
02:49They're both new acquisitions.
02:50Okay.
02:51David Montgomery.
02:51David Montgomery.
02:52I was going to say that.
02:53Foster Moreau.
02:55Okay.
02:55I think that they're both...
02:56Especially if we're talking about that leadership
02:58and that mantra,
02:59I think that those guys very much have that particular intangible
03:04that you're talking about.
03:07Like, the thing that is interesting to me
03:10is we'll probably look at CJ and say,
03:13one, you expect the quarterback to have that.
03:15And I think if I polled the audience,
03:17and this is a little bit dicey one because it's very polar, right?
03:20There's some people that are very far on one end,
03:21some people very far on the other.
03:23If I polled the audience,
03:24I'm guessing that more people than not would say
03:27that he does not have enough of that for their liking.
03:30But you listen to the dudes talk about it,
03:33and they talk about it like he is a leader that they follow.
03:36And so, to some degree,
03:38I think that he also is one that you should consider,
03:41at least if we're talking about intangibles,
03:42as far as leadership where guys follow him.
03:45I understand why a lot of folks would probably be
03:48less than stellar to get to that place
03:50where they are willing to say that wholeheartedly.
03:52How much does it matter that we're not mentioning CJ Stroud?
03:57Because Aziz Alshair and Will Anderson are clearly the,
04:01you use the term a lot of times, tentpoles.
04:04Tentpoles of that culture, of that intangible
04:07that they all seem to share.
04:08As I meant, like, I wasn't thinking about this.
04:10Like, every defensive player that we talked to this week
04:13and last week, it's like you're talking to the same guy.
04:15They're all the same.
04:17You can't do that on offense.
04:18And how much of it does it matter that CJ is not a tentpole
04:22when it comes to culture and intangibles on the offense?
04:25Well, I think that some of the things that he does
04:27that would sound like that,
04:29it feels like we roll our eyes at him.
04:31CJ Stroud does,
04:33because some of the guys we're talking about,
04:35especially the way that you're describing it right now,
04:37they are, and I say this with no judgment,
04:39even though it's going to sound like it,
04:41they are parroting the messages
04:42that are being fed to them by D'Amico Rhines,
04:45by Matt Burke, by their position coaches.
04:47Like, they are doing a great job of seeing that message,
04:49returning that message back.
04:51I think that CJ Stroud does that.
04:53It just feels like those messages,
04:54at least for us, we roll our eyes at it
04:57because it's like, all right, well,
04:57we're not seeing the effects of it,
04:59so I don't care that you're saying the words.
05:01But it does feel like he does exist as that.
05:03And that is some level of the leadership
05:05with the offense that we're talking about here.
05:08But does it seem as sincere and as, you know,
05:11like deeply held?
05:13I mean, do it come across as a little swarmy,
05:15for lack of a better word, I guess?
05:17Like, do CJ Stroud kind of look,
05:19do you look at him as kind of like,
05:21yeah, that's a sworn type of...
05:23I mean, no.
05:25If we're being honest, no.
05:26And I think that this year,
05:28and if we can get back to,
05:29I know it's been a little while
05:30since we've actually done the,
05:31what does swarmy mean?
05:32Let's actually hold it up
05:33against what they're doing now as a litmus test.
05:36Special work ethic,
05:37this year you could probably say,
05:39hearing what the way that they've talked about
05:41and probably seeing the way that he's delivered
05:42to some degree on it,
05:44that special work ethic
05:45does feel like it's come through.
05:46That was one of those things
05:47that was kind of wild to hear,
05:48whether it was Nick Casario,
05:51D'Amico Ryans,
05:52kind of, you know,
05:53de facto challenge him
05:54to have a particular work ethic
05:56in this offseason
05:58because that's been a part of the mentality
06:00and the mantra that they've wanted
06:02since day one.
06:04And so for them to kind of challenge him on that,
06:06like, we want him to have a great offseason,
06:07feels like it's speaking to,
06:08we want you to apply a work ethic
06:11to this offseason
06:11that we have not yet seen.
06:13They're coming back
06:14and giving us,
06:15you know,
06:15verbal checks on all of that.
06:16So I think that that portion of that shows up.
06:19It is the relentless mindset portion of it
06:21that I think still remains to be seen,
06:23at least as we are grading
06:24from the outside looking in on CJ right now.
06:26I think that's fair.
06:28And look,
06:29if you don't necessarily have to be all,
06:32you know,
06:32together the same
06:34to be a successful offense,
06:36you know,
06:37I think a lot of teams,
06:38you know,
06:38have proved that.
06:40I just feel like on this team,
06:42their goal the entire offseason
06:45was to try to replicate
06:46what they have on defense
06:47on offense.
06:48And you brought up a couple of fair names.
06:50I think Killing Rutledge is clearly that,
06:52that they're replicating that.
06:53You mentioned David Montgomery
06:54and Foster Moreau.
06:58I think maybe a little Dalton Schultz
07:01has that as well.
07:03And so maybe this is much ado about nothing,
07:06but I just feel like
07:07for as much,
07:08as many gains as we've seen,
07:10and really we've only seen it in the last day
07:11where we've thought,
07:13okay,
07:13the offense did something,
07:14you know,
07:14but as much as signs as we've seen,
07:16I still feel like they're not quite,
07:18you know,
07:19they're not quite that.
07:20And I'm wondering how much CJ needs to,
07:22to kind of become that.
07:24And I'm going to be honest.
07:25I think that in this instance,
07:26you're just trying to compare them to
07:28somebody that you probably shouldn't,
07:29which is that defense.
07:30I think that that's an unfair comparison
07:32to be like,
07:33why do you not make me feel the same
07:36as the defense?
07:37That feels like,
07:37hey man,
07:38I'm looking at my significant other,
07:40like you going to jam it.
07:40Why don't you make me feel the way
07:42that Halle Berry makes me feel?
07:43That's not fair.
07:44What are we doing here?
07:45You know,
07:46and that's what I think is happening
07:47in this comparison.
07:48I do think that they do have some intangibles
07:51because we're not talking about like the actual,
07:54you know,
07:54I guess the tangibles,
07:55right?
07:55But the nastiness that they have seemed to imbue,
07:58we're seeing some of that.
08:00Are they able to enforce it consistently
08:02is things that we're still...
08:03But we're seeing it from a rookie.
08:04But we are,
08:04we're seeing it from a rookie
08:05and we're seeing that come across.
08:07A level of relentlessness needs to show up
08:10and I think they're starting to develop that,
08:11right?
08:11A level of like grittiness
08:12where they're getting,
08:14the defense knocks them on their ass
08:15and they're willing to get back after them.
08:17I think that those things
08:18are starting to show through.
08:20Yeah,
08:20man,
08:20I think that there's some intangibles
08:21that are starting to develop.
08:23I think it's an interesting question
08:23because this kind of runs closely
08:26with identity in my mind for them.
08:30And last year,
08:31I'll just use last year
08:32because that was the first year of Nick Haley.
08:34That was still a question
08:35that I was asking myself about this offense
08:37for a long period of the season.
08:38I think that you're significantly further along
08:41this year compared to this time last year.
08:43But I think you're also pretty far along
08:45just generally compared to last year
08:46in having more of a tangible feel
08:49for what they are.
08:50And I think some of those are also
08:52like the intangibles
08:52that they're developing within themselves.
08:54And a texter says,
08:55swarm for a quarterback.
08:56So you want him playing reckless
08:58like Jackson Dart?
08:59That's not what we're talking about.
09:00Like there are quarterbacks
09:01who don't play reckless.
09:03You know,
09:04that you can,
09:05you know the offense is about him.
09:07He sets the standard
09:08and everybody reflects it.
09:09You can talk about Hall of Famers
09:11like we just saw Drew Brees.
09:12He didn't play reckless.
09:13Those dudes were all like him,
09:15you know,
09:16even to more current quarterbacks.
09:18You know,
09:19how do you feel
09:19is Baker Mayfield?
09:21That's a great example
09:22right there.
09:23They all sort of reflect
09:25that Baker Mayfield,
09:26you know,
09:27mentality.
09:28And maybe it's just not in him.
09:29Maybe he doesn't need to be in him.
09:30You know,
09:31just sling the ball.
09:32You know,
09:32just lead the offense.
09:33It just made me think.
09:35I also think that like
09:36I would really hate
09:37if C.J. Stroud
09:38had Baker Mayfield's mentality.
09:40And I know there's going to be
09:40people that go,
09:41what?
09:42I think that with Baker Mayfield,
09:43that leads to a lot of highs
09:44and lows for him
09:45because there's a lot of external
09:48gearing up for him.
09:49I think that what they want
09:50from C.J. Stroud
09:51is actually a little bit
09:52more level,
09:53right?
09:53And I think they want him
09:54to be that consistent level guy.
09:56And you don't want him
09:56to be something he's not.
09:57Also a point,
09:59right?
09:59But I think that he's
10:02tried to be that
10:03and I think that he's even
10:04showing more capability
10:05of being that
10:06and being level,
10:07being consistent
10:07this far in camp.
10:08So, yeah,
10:09I actually feel
10:11a little bit better about them
10:12than maybe some of y'all do.
10:13Yeah,
10:14I mean,
10:14if I wanted C.J.
10:15to have something
10:16Baker Mayfield got,
10:17I think what Baker Mayfield
10:19do really good
10:20or really well
10:21is when the team
10:22is down
10:23and it's time
10:24to kind of pick it up.
10:26I think I will,
10:27and we've seen some of that
10:28from C.J. Stroud
10:28against Baker Mayfield.
10:30So,
10:31I think if I had to pick
10:33some from Baker Mayfield,
10:34I would love for C.J. Stroud
10:35to just kind of,
10:37you know,
10:37when they're down two scores,
10:39it's not over.
10:40But can't we make the argument
10:41that that is part of
10:43what got him into trouble
10:44in the postseason
10:44was feeling like
10:45he needed to try
10:47and go make the play himself?
10:48The messaging
10:49that is being had
10:50is don't feel like
10:51you need to do that.
10:52Trust your teammates
10:53to help you
10:54in those moments.
10:56And so,
10:56even that,
10:57I don't think
10:57that I would ask for.
10:58But the thing is,
10:59did you trust his offense
11:00from the beginning?
11:02Yeah.
11:02Like,
11:02I think the offense,
11:04that's probably
11:04a whole other thing,
11:05but I think that's why
11:06he probably went on like that
11:08because he didn't trust the offense.
11:10Agreed.
11:10And I think that
11:11that's how you come back around
11:12to what we're dealing with here,
11:13which is,
11:14do you have a more
11:14trustworthy offense
11:15all the way around?
11:17And does the offense itself
11:19demonstrate those
11:20like as quote-unquote
11:20intangibles
11:21that you would want to see?
11:22I think that
11:23you're finding more of those.
11:24I would be hard-pressed
11:25to say like definitively yes,
11:26but there's still development
11:28happening within this offense.
11:29And I'll be honest,
11:30I think that I've seen
11:31a little bit more
11:32that's progressed in a way
11:33that gives me a little bit
11:33of confidence.
11:34The big thing
11:34that holds me off,
11:35and this isn't intangibles,
11:36this is just criticism
11:37of the offense,
11:38their inability to run the ball
11:41with consistency
11:42in result,
11:43is still the thing
11:44that holds me up
11:45really more than anything
11:46because they have hinged
11:47their improvement upon that.
11:49And I haven't seen that
11:49to the degree that I want yet.
11:51And running the ball is part
11:51of what they want to help
11:53establish that,
11:54that swarm on offense.
11:55And it should help.
11:56Yes.
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